Page 84 of Descent

Wesley takes his hand, nodding before Asher looks up at the stairs longingly. I can tell he wants to go be with her, but I also see the hurt inside him. The same one that Liam has, but Asher refuses to show. The kind that lives inside me.

Liam’s right, she can’t pull this shit. Never again. I was ready to break her little friend’s goddamn neck when she wouldn’t tell us where she took her. She’s lucky Vincent sent a vague text about finding Skyla before he went MIA, otherwise we’d probably be burying a body on Gallows Hill.

Shaking his head, Asher moves back into the living room, taking a seat on the bed next to Liam as they begin speaking quietly.

My eyes glance upstairs as the shower in her bedroom turns on.

“You going up there?” Wesley asks.

“Yeah,” I say before looking to him. “You?” I test.

He scoffs, getting a little flustered at my question before shaking his head.

“Definitely not. What business would I have up there?”

“I’d say the same as me or any of these other guys. You’re not subtle, brother. If it was anyone else…” I trail off with a shake of my head.

He narrows his eyes at me, like he’s studying me before he speaks.

“Is this a weird way of you giving me your blessing to pursue your girlfriend?”

Running a hand through my hair I let out a heavy sigh.

“Why not? Clearly we could use all the help we can get when it comes to her.”

Wesley doesn’t say anything, but I don’t miss the way his eyes go to the stairs, just for half a second before he shakes his head.

“I gotta get going. Tell her I’m here if she needs me.”

“Oh, I’m sure you are,” I call out as he turns, heading out the door with another shake of his head.

Running my hand along my jaw, I make my way towards the stairs. I push open her bedroom door, my eyes taking inventory of the empty room. Or at least it feels that way with her bed and bedframe in the trash. We need to get her a new bed. She needs her own space away from all of us. That’s for another night, though. She’s had plenty of space from us and now she needs to face the consequences of her actions.

When I move into the bathroom, I find Vincent gathering her wet clothes. She’s in the shower alone and I’m surprised when he wordlessly nods at me, carrying her clothes out the door before shutting it behind me. Damn, look at little Griggs sharing. He’s all grown up. Then again, maybe he needs some space from hertoo. With his temper, I can’t imagine how much anger he has right now.

As quietly as I can manage, I begin undressing before slipping into the shower. Her eyes come to mine, a deep sadness mixed with regret shine in them. She gives me a small smile that quickly fades when I don’t return the gesture.

“Hi,” she says quietly.

I raise an eyebrow in question because fucking seriously?

“Hi?” I question. “Is that really all you have to say?”

She shakes her head.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you, any of you. I was just trying to do the right thing and—”

“I know baby, but what you did was not the right thing. It was foolish, impulsive and immature. We don’t run off into battle on our own trying to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. We come together to talk, strategize and plan. What you did tonight is not something I want any part of.”

Her lower lip begins to quiver as a tear falls down her cheek and she nods.

“I understand,” she says brokenly.

“What do you understand?”

“That I ruined everything. That you can’t forgive me.”

Exhaling roughly through my nostrils, I shake my head as I pull hers to me, forcing our mouths together. She’s stiff at first, but melts into me with ease when I pull away roughly.

---